Finishing compositions may be used as paint refinishing materials to remove scratches left by sanding operations, which remove paint defects on vehicle surfaces. Typically when removing a paint defect, the defect is sprayed with a clearcoat and then removed using an abrasive material (e.g., sandpaper). However, this leaves visible scratch marks on the vehicle surface. The scratch marks may be removed by applying and distributing a finishing composition with abrasive buffing pads. A surface-protective sealant (seal coat) may then optionally be applied.
Conventional finishing compositions contain solvents to improve the handling properties of the compositions (e.g., working time, product deposition on the surface, pick-up with a buffing pad, and clean up). These solvents evaporate after the finishing is applied to the surface. However, environmental regulations require relatively low concentrations (e.g., less than 17 percent, by weight) of volatile organic compounds (VOC) in certain products.